Fluid-flow indicator.



W. H. FOOT.

FLUID FLOW INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED nc.29, 1914.

ea 1 9 1 -11 1 m p e S d e t n e t a P WILLIAM H. FOOT, OF EDGEWOOD,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-FLOW INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application filed December 29, 1914. Serial No. 879,549.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Foo'r, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of Edgewood, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFluid-Flow Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates-to fluid-flow indicators of the. type in which therate of flow of fluids in pipes is rendered visible by means of aswinging member disposed in the path of the fluid and adapted to bedeflected thereby.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective andautomatically-operated fluid-flow indicator that is adapted to indicatethe rate of flow of highly viscous and slowly moving liquids as well asfluids which are. lighter and which move with considerable speed.

Of the accompanying drawings, I which illustrate one embodiment of myinvention, Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an indicatorconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal Isectional view taken substantially along the line IIII of Fig. l, andFig. 3 is a trans verse sectional view taken substantially along theline III1II of Fig. 2.

The device shown in the drawings contprises a casing 1, of generallycircular form, provided with screw-threaded inlet and outlet tubularprojections 2 and 3 and witi a circular lateral opening 4 for permit ingobservation of the interior of the casing. The opening 4: is closed bymeans of a window 5, of transparent material, which is confined betweena ring 6 of packing material and an externally screw-threaded ring 7which engages screw threads formed within a circular flange 8 of thecasing 1. Between the ring 6 and a shoulder 9 formed in the casing 1 isa supporting ring 10 to which is pivotally secured,as by means ofa'screw 11, a swin 'ng flap 12, which may conveniently be 0 the T-shapedcross section shown in Fig. 2, in which case an arrow 13 may be formedon the side of the flap 12 facing the window 5. By turning the ring 10with respect to the casing 1, the flap 12 may be caused to assume anydesired angular position with relation to the direction of fluid flowthrough the indicator, A scale 15 may be formed on the window 5 in orderto register the'approximate rate of fluid flow.

The parts thus far described constitute an indicator which operatessatisfactorily if fluid is caused to pass through it with considerablevelocity. If, however, 'such an indicator is inserted in a pipe in whichfluid flows very slowly, the fluid will pass around the indicating flapand will not deflect it. Such a gondition is found in pipes that supplylubricating liquids to machine bearings, and, in order to adapt thedevice to such so, I provide means for causing the indi.- ator flap tobe deflected before any fluid is ermitted to pass through the indicator.In

the device shown in the drawings, such means comprises a hollow plunger16 which is slidably disposed in the inlet tube 2 of the indi atorand-is provided with an approximzt e ly conical end member 17 adjacentto th flap 12. The plunger fits closely within the casing, so that nofluid is permitted to pass around it, and is provided with one or moreopenings 18. The baseof the end member 17 is somewhat larger in diameterthan the body of the plunger 16 and constitutes a flange to engage ashoulder 19 formed in the casing, whereby movement of the plunger to theright is limited, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. I

In the operation of my device, the parts may be assumed to be in thepositions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the rounded end of theplunger end member 17 engages the flap 12, while the openings 18 areclosed by the walls of the inlet tube 2. If fluid is now supplied, underpressure, through the tube 2, the plunger 16 will be pushed forward bythe fluid pressure, and the flap 12 will thereby be deflected ,untilthe. openings 18 pass beyond the shoulder 19 and are thereby uncovered.The oil' or other fluid can then escape through the openings 18 andaround the plunger 12 to the outlet tube 3 may readily be devisedwithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claimas my invention:

1. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing, a deflectable indicatingmember pivotally mounted Within the said casing and adapted to bedeflected in response to the flow of fluid therethrough by directcontactwith the fluid, and means for deflecting the said member before fluid ispermitted to flow into the said casing.

2. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing, a deflectable indicatingmember pivotally mounted Within the said casing and adapted to bedeflected in response to the flow of fluid therethrough by directcontact with the fluid and means forcausing the said fluid to deflectthe said member to a predetermined degree before fluid is permitted toflow through the said casing.

3. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing, a deflectable indicatingmember pivotally mounted within the said casing and exposed to flow offluid therethrough and means operated by'fluid pressure for deflectingthe said member before fluid is permitted to flow through the saidcasing.

4. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing provided with alined inletand outlet openings, means for permitting inspection of the interior ofthe said casing, a deflectable indicating flap within the said casingexposed directly to fluid flowing therethrough and a slidable memberengaging the said flap and adapted to be moved to deflect the said flapby the pressure of fluid toward the said casing.

55. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing having inlet and outletopenings for the passage of fluid, a deflectable member pivotallymounted in the said casing, means for indicating the position of thesaid deflectable member and means for deflecting the said member inproportion to the pressure of fluid supplied to the said casing and forpermitting fluid to flow through the said casing after the said memberis deflected.

6. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing having inlet and outletopenings for the passage of fluid, a deflectable member pivotallymounted Within the said casing, means for indicating theposition of thesaid deflectable member and a plunger disposed in'the said inlet 0 eningand adapted to engage the said de ectable member, the said plunger beingprovided with fluid-conducting means for permitting fluid to pass itwhen the said member is in a predetermined position.

7. A fluid-flow indicator comprising a casing having inlet and outletopenings for the passage of fluid, a deflectable member pivotallymountedwithin the said casing, means for indicating the position of thesaid deflectable member and a hollow plunger slidably disposed in thesaid inlet opening and provided with an end member adapted to engage thesaid deflectable member and having an opening for permitting fluid toflow around the said plunger when the latter is sufliciently advancedinto the said casing to enable the said opening to communicate with theinterior of the said casing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th dayof Dec.,

WILLIAM H. FOOT. Witnesses:

EDWIN DENHAM, B. B. HINES.

